1 O'CONNELL CENTER GOVERNOR GEORGE PATAKI 8:00 P.M. [ APPLAUSE ] GOOD EVENING, FELLOW GATORS. MY NAME IS DAVID BUCHALTER AND I'M CHAIRMAN OF ACCENT SPEAKER'S BUREAU. TONIGHT, ACCENT IS HONORED TO BRING YOU THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK, GEORGE PATAKI. AS THE FIRST EVER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR TO SERVE IN NEW YORK, PATAKI LED THE STATE THROUGH -- PATAKI LED THE STATE IN RECOVERY EFFORTS. WORKING HAND-IN-HAND WITH PRESIDENT BUSH, HE WAS ABLE TO HELP RESTORE FREEDOM FOR THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK STATE. KNOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST ARTICULATE SPEAKERS, HE WAS CHOSEN TO INTRODUCE PRESIDENT BUSH AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION THIS YEAR. WITH THE RACE JUST SIX DAYS AWAY HE WAIL SHARE HIS THOUGHTS ON THE PRESIDENCY AND VISION FOR AMERICA AND ANSWER QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION. CHOMP THE VOTE STUDENT VOTER'S REGISTRATION AND GET OUT THE VOTE ORGANIZATION HAS DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB REGISTERING STUDENTS FOR THE ELECTION. WITH OVER 8, 000 STUDENTS REGISTERED, THEY'RE NOW TURNING THEIR EFFORTS TO GETTING THEM TO THE POLLS. THERE IS A SHUTTLE FROM THE PLAZA FROM 8: 30 A.M. TO 5:30 TOMORROW TO THE ELECTION OF VOTERS OFFICE. IT WILL BE RUNNING ALL DAY. BE SURE TO CHECK IT OUT AND VOTE EARLY. ACCENT HAS BEEN HOSTING AND -- PROMINENT AND CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKERS FOR UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOR 30 YEARS. ACCENT PROVIDES EQUAL PLATFORM FOR POLITICAL RHETORIC BUT NOT TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSE ANY VIEWPOINTS. IT DOES NOT ENDORSE ANY PARTIES AND THOSE OUTSIDE TONIGHT ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY ACCENT. SPEAKERS INCLUDE LOU FERRIGNO. RAY MCGOVERN, MICHAEL MOORE AND COLLEGE COMEDIAN AARON KARO. PLEASE PROVIDE WITH US FEEDBACK ON OUR NEW WEBSITE WWW.UFL.EDU/ACCENT. SEVERAL OTHER SPEECHES ARE PLANNED FOR THE REST OF THE SEMESTER. THERE ARE MANY OTHER SPEECHES SO CHECK IT OUT. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK WAYNE CHANCE, MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR THEIR STEADFAST SUPPORT FOR ALL OF ACCENT'S ENDEAVORS. NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER ADIEU, ACCENT PROUDLY PRESENTS THE GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK, GEORGE PATAKI. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT KIND INTRODUCTION AND THANK YOU FOR THAT GRACIOUS RESPONSE. LET ME SAY I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. I REALLY APPRECIATE SO MANY OF YOU BEING HERE THIS EVENING TO HEAR ME. I TO? THIS IS A TENSE TIME. IT'S VERY EXCITING, JUST A FEW DAYS TO GO, CRUNCH TIME AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN A FEW DAYS, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, I TO?. THE GATORS ARE GOING TO STUCK IT UP AND BEAT GEORGIA ON SATURDAY ! [ APPLAUSE ] IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO STUCK UP TO YOUR AUDIENCE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SPEECH. I DID WANT TO JUST SAY I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH A TOUGH TIME THIS FALL IN SPORTS. THINK ABOUT ME. I'M A YANKEES FAN. WHAT A COLLAPSE. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE IN YOUR LIVES? DO WE HAVE ANY RED SOX FANS HERE? 86 YEARS. I HOPE THE CURSE IS DEAD. I DID WANT TO COME HERE TONIGHT TO SAY A NUMBER OF SERIOUS THINGS. WE HAVE A ELECTION IN A FEW DAYS AND I THINK IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN MY LIFETIME. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES THIS FALL, INCREDIBLE WAVE OF HURRICANES TIME AND AGAIN BATTERING THIS GREAT STATE. I WANT TO TELL YOU THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED BY THE WAY THE FLORIDIANS HAVE COME TOGETHER AND RESPONDED WITH SUCH GREAT COURAGE AND STRENGTH. WE'RE PLEASED WE WERE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP OUT, SENDING SOME OF OUR UTILITY TRUCKS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND OTHERS AND I KNOW THIS GREAT STATE AND PEOPLE WILL GET STRONGER AND STRONGER. THE HOME RUN SEASON IS OVER AND IT WILL GET -- THE HURRICANE SEASON IS OVER AND IT WILL GET BETTER. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO HELP US ON SEPTEMBER 11TH . DAVID POINT TOUCHED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH , IT'S SOMETHING WE WILL NEVER FORGET ABOUT, AND THINK ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DAY. IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AFTER THOSE ATTACKS, THE STRENGTH OF NEW YORK WAS AT STAKE AND THE WHOLE COUNTRY WAS INSPIRED BY FIREFIGHTERS AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND STRENGTH AND COURAGE THEY SHOWED. I TO?, THEY AND NEW YORKERS WERE ALL INSPIRED BY LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM ALL OF AMERICA. WE WERE OVERWHELMED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS FROM ACROSS AMERICA, INCLUDING MANY FROM FLORIDA THERE TO HELP US OUT. RIGHT HERE ON THIS GREAT CAMPUS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, STUDENTS LINED UP TO DONATE BLOOD. THAT SUPPORT, THAT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WENT THROUGH IS SOMETHING WE WILL NEVER FORGET. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK STATE. I START IT UP BY SAYING I THINK THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF MY LIFETIME. I BELIEVE IT IS. WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS OF OUR HISTORY. FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE HAVE SUFFERED A DEVASTATING ATTACK, NOT OVERSEES IN PEARL HARBOR OR MILITARY CONFRONTATION, BUT THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA WERE ATTACKED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH . WE ARE IN A WAR. IT'S A VERY CLEAR WAR TO ME, BETWEEN THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND TOLERANCE AND DIVERSITY AND -- TOLERANCE AND DIVERSITY AND RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER AND THOSE WHO BELIEVE HATRED WILL TRIUMPH. AND THAT SHOULD REPLACE TOLERANCE AND THEY THINK THEIR ONE VIEW SHOULD BE IMPOSED OVER PEOPLE ACROSS THE GLOBE. WHEN WE WERE ATTACKED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH , I HAVE TO SAY, I THANK GOD GEORGE W. BUSH WAS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. [ APPLAUSE ] IT'S EASY TO MAKE LIGHT OF HIS LEADERSHIP. BUT THAT MORNING, IN THE FIRST MINUTES AFTER THE SECOND PLANE HIT, I CALLED THE PRESIDENT. AND I GOT AHOLD OF HIM RIGHT HERE IN FLORIDA. I TOLD HIM, MR. PRESIDENT, WE DON'T TO? WHAT'S GOING TO COME NEGOTIATE. -- WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO COME NEXT. YOU HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE AIRSPACE OVER FLORIDA. HE SAID, GEORGETTE, I'VE ALREADY ORDERED THE ENTIRE AIRSPACE OVER AMERICA SHUT DOWN. I TALKED TO HIM HOURS AFTERWARDS. THIS WAS A PRESIDENT IN COMMAND, LEADING OUR COUNTRY, UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAD TO BE DONE. FROM THOSE VERY FIRST MINUTES OF TODAY, THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO HAS PROVIDED EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP IN THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFETIME. I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LOWER MANHATTAN, GROUND ZERO. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT THE SITE OF THAT HORRIBLE ATTACK. I HOPE AS YOU GROW OLDER AND TRAVEL MORE AROUND THE COUNTRY, YOU WILL ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO COME. WHAT WE ARE DOING IS EXTRAORDINARY. WE ARE -- WE HAVE MASTER PLANS TO REBUILD LOWER MANHATTAN THAT WILL SHOW THE WORLD NEW YORK IS BACK STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE. WE WILL SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TERRORISM HAS NOT WON AND WE WILL NEVER BE BOWED, WE WILL NEVER BEND, BE FRIGHTENED IN THE FACE OF THOSE WHO USE VIOLENCE TO TAKE AWAY OUR FREEDOM. THE CENTERPIECE OF THIS GROUND ZERO WILL BE A MEMORIAL. IN THAT MEMORIAL, WE WILL TELL THE STORIES OF THE HEROES WE LOST ON SEPTEMBER 11TH . ON THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE TWO TOWERS THAT CAME DOWN THAT HORRIBLE DAY, THERE WILL BE VOIDS, COVERED WITH A REFLECTING POOL OF WATER. AROUND THAT REFLECTING POOL WILL BE THE NAME OF EVERY ONE OF THE ALMOST 3, 000 HEROES WE LOST THAT DAME. I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL WE TELL THE STORY OF THE COURAGE AND STRENGTH OF NEW YORKERS WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIFE THAT DAY, NOT JUST FOR THOSE THERE, BUT THOSE WHO WILL COME SO THEY APPRECIATE THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT THAT ATTACK ON AMERICA MEANT. RIGHT NEXT TO THOSE. NEXT TO THE MEMORIAL, WE WILL BUILD A SERIES OF OFFICE TOWERS THAT WILL MAKE SURE LOWER MANHATTAN STAYS THE FINANCIAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT IT IN LONDON OR HONG KONG OR SHANGHAI, WE WANT IT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND IT WILL BE RIGHT IN DOWNTOWN NEW YORK. THE CENTERPIECE OF THAT RECONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO BE A BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN CALLED THE FREEDOM TOWER. IT'S BEING BUILT AND CALLED THE FREEDOM TOWER BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SOAR 1776 FEET HIGH, REMINISCENT OF THE YEAR WE DECLARED OUR INDEPENDENCE. IT'S GOING TO BE THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD. IT'S GOING TO HAVE A SPIRAL THAT REPLICATES THE TORCH OF THE STATUTE OF LIBERTY IN THE HARBOR A FEW HUNDRED MILES AWAY. AS PEOPLE COME TO NEW YORK, THEY WILL SEE WE WERE ATTACKED AND WE ARE UNBOWED AND BUILDING TALLER AND BETTER AND WE WILL NEVER FORGET BUT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH A CONFIDENCE WE HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE AS AMERICANS AND AS A FREE PEOPLE IN THE GREATEST COUNTRY THIS WORLD HAS EVER CREATED. [ APPLAUSE ] >> I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, THIS IS MORE THAN FORWARD. WE ARE GOING TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE WORLD ABOUT THIS. LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN THAT. PROBABLY THE DAY AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH , AFTER WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS AND STEPS TO PROTECT US FROM OTHER ATTACKS THAT WE THOUGHT MIGHT BE HAPPENING, WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE REBUILDING. THEN ON SEPTEMBER 14TH , THE PRESIDENT CAME, THREE DAYS AFTER THOSE ATTACKS, AND STOOD ON THE BURNING RUBBLE, ON A CRUSHED FIRE TRUCK WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS WERE THERE, EXHAUSTED, FROM 24 HOUR A DAY EFFORTS TO DIG THROUGH THE RUBBLE IN THE HOPES THEY COULD FIND ONE OF THEIR CO-WORKERS OR RELATIVES IN THAT SMOLDERING HEAT. THE PRESIDENT STOOD ON THAT FIRE TRUCK AND SAID A NUMBER OF THINGS, ONE OF WHICH WE WERE GOING TO REBUILD. THE PRESIDENT SAID WE WOULD PROVIDE THE 20 BILLION WHATEVER IT TAKES TO REBUILD. THANKS TO THIS PRESIDENT'S, WE'RE BUILDING THAT MEMORIAL, WE'RE BUILDING A FREEDOM TOWER, WE'RE RECREATING A FINANCIAL CENTER IN LOWER MANHATTAN SECOND TO NONE. HE DIDN'T JUST PROVIDE THE 20 BILLION, HE PROVIDED US 21 BILLION BECAUSE HE IS A MAN WHO KEEPS HIS WORD AND LEADS FROM STRENGTH. [ APPLAUSE ] . HE STOOD ON THAT CRUSHED FIRE TRUCK AND SAID, AS ONE OF THE -- I BELIEVE IT WAS A CONSTRUCTION WORKER SAID, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU BECAUSE IT WAS A CHAOTIC SCENE. BEHIND HIM THE SMOKE FROM GROUND ZERO WAS STILL RISING AS IT ROSE FOR WEEKS AFTER THAT HORRIBLE DAY. THEY SAID TO THE PRESIDENT WEB CAN'T HEAR YOU AND THE PRESIDENT SAID, BUT I CAN HEAR YOU. AND THOSE BARBARIANS WHO ATTACKED US ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM US VERY SOON. THE PRESIDENT UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WEREN'T ATTACKED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH BECAUSE OF SOMETHING WE HAD DONE WRONG, WE WERE ATTACKED BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DID RIGHT, BECAUSE OF OUR BELIEF AND FREEDOM. THAT TO PROTECT THAT FREEDOM, HE WOULD HAVE TO BE PRO-ACTIVE AND GO AFTER THOSE TERRORISTS BEFORE WE HAD -- THEY HAD THE CHANCE TO ATTACK US AGAIN. I WANT TO DIGRESS A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I TO? WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS HERE AND YES, YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY OF OUR COUNTRY, OF COURSE YOU ARE BUT YOU'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR FUTURE AND JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU GET THROUGH THIS GREAT UNIVERSITY, WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO, WHERE THE JOBS OF THE 21ST CENTURY ARE GOING TO BE. WHEN THEY ATTACKED US ON SEPTEMBER 11TH , THE TERRORISTS KNEW THEY COULDN'T BEAT US MILITARILY, BUT THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD BREAK US ECONOMICALLY, DESTROY THE UNDERSTAND PINNING OF THE FINANCIAL SECTOR, THE ECONOMY THAT CREATES JOBS IN RECORD NUMBERS. BECAUSE OF THE POLICY OF THIS PRESIDENT, THAT EFFORT TO DESTROY US ECONOMICALLY HAVE FAILED. THIS PRESIDENT UNDERSTOOD THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF NEGATIVE ECONOMIC CURRENCIES HAPPENING TOGETHER. THINK ABOUT WHAT HE INHERITED WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE IN 2001. WE HAD HAD THE DOT.COM BUBBLE, WHERE YOU JUST HAD TO HAVE A DOT.COM NUMBER, YOU COULD RAISE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND HIRE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE. WE HAD THE STOCK MARKET GO TO RIDICULOUS HEIGHTS AND COME CRASHING DOWN. THE ENRON SCANDAL, NOT JUST WHEN BUSH WAS PRESIDENT BUT UNDER THIS IS PREDECESSOR TUMBLING DOWN. WHEN THE PRESIDENT TOOK OFFICE WE WERE IN THE MISSED OF A RECESSION ALREADY UNDER WAY. WHAT HAPPENED? SEPTEMBER 11TH . IN THE MINUTES THOSE TOWERS CAME DOWN WE LOST 100,000 JOBS RIGHT THERE IN NEW YORK AND THEY HAVEN'T COME BACK YET. WE HAD 10 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE DESTROYED OR DAMAGED. WE WENT INTO AN ECONOMIC DECLINE AS A RESULT OF THAT ATTACK. THAT COST AMERICA HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS AND COMPOUNDED THE RECESSION. THINK ABOUT IT. THE AIRSPACE OF AMERICA CLOSED FOR A WEEK, NO ONE WANTING TO FLY, TOURISM DIEING AND HOTEL AND RESTAURANT INDUSTRY COMING TO A SCREECHING HALT. YOU AH WHAT HAPPENED TO DISNEY WORLD, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOURIST INDUSTRIES IN AMERICA. OUR ECONOMY SUFFERED A BODY BLOW THAT COULD HAVE HALTED IF WE HADN'T HAD GOOD LEADERSHIP. IF HE KNEW WE DON'T CREATE NEW JOBS BY RAISING TAXES, YOU CREATE NEW JOBS BY CUTTING TAXES. HE PASSED ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TAX CUTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND THEY'RE WORKING AND TOGETHER OUR ECONOMY IS GROWING AND MOVING FORWARD AGAIN. [ APPLAUSE ] I DON'T WANT TO BORE YOU WITH A WHOLE LOT OF STATISTICS. THINK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, OUR ECONOMY HAS GROWN, WHILE WE'RE STILL AT WAR, FASTER THAN IT HAS IN 20 YEARS. WE HAVE CREATED ALMOST 2 MILLION NEW JOBS IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. WE ARE GROWING FASTER THAN ANY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY ANYWHERE IN THE GLOBE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU CUTOUT TAXES, WHEN YOU EMPOWER THE ENTREPRENEURS OF AMERICA, WHEN YOU UNLEASH THE SPIRIT OF CREATIVITY, IN THE AMERICAN FREE MARKET ECONOMY, YOU CREATE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY. THE PRESIDENT IS DOING THIS. SO I AM CONFIDENT THAT WHEN HE WINS ON TUESDAY, AND KEEPS THOSE TAX CUTS, AND KEEPS REDUCING THE BURDEN GOVERNMENT PLACES ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR, YOU WILL GET OUT OF SCHOOL AND HAVE A GREAT JOB ANYWHERE IN AMERICA, HERE IN FLORIDA OR ANYWHERE ELSE BECAUSE THIS PRESIDENT'S ECONOMIC POLICIES ARE WORKING TODAY TO MAKE AMERICA STRONGER. [ APPLAUSE ] >> I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WAR ON TERROR. THIS PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP, CONTRAST IT TO SENATOR KERRY. I KNEW SENATOR KERRY IN COLLEGE. HE WAS A YEAR AHEAD OF ME. PRESIDENT BUSH WAS A YEAR BEHIND ME. HE WAS INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND GEORGE BUSH WAS INVOLVED IN DRINKING BEER AT YALE. HE HAD A GREAT TIME AND I THINK HE LEARNED MORE THAN WE DID. I CAN TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT SENATOR KERRY YOU SAW HIM EARLIER THIS WEEK, WEARING THE CAMOUFLAGE UNIFORM, I DON'T KNOW IF HE HIT ANYTHING OR NOT, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WEAR THAT UNIFORM AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION IN BOSTON. THINK ABOUT IT. THE CONVENTION WENT ON AND ON. SENATOR KERRY GAVE THIS BIG LONG SPEECH. YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THROUGHOUT THAT WEEK HE HAD NEVER SERVED ONE DAY IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. ITS A AS THOUGH 18 YEARS OF HIS LIFE HAD VANISHED. HE WAS WEARING CAMOUFLAGE BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO DO? ABOUT HIS RECORD IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE. HE TALKED ABOUT HOW HE WAS GOING TO BE TOUGH AND SUPPORT OUR MILITARY. HE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT TIME AND AGAIN, WHEN HE WAS IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE HE VOTED TO CUTOUT OUR MILITARY, CUTOUT OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO INTERNATIONAL CRISIS. HE TALKED ABOUT HOW HE WAS SO STRONG ON DEFENSE AND HOW WE HAD TO REORGANIZE OUR INTELLIGENCE AND MAKE SURE WE HAD GREAT INTELLIGENCE OPERATION. WHAT HE DIDN'T TELL YOU, AFTER THE WORLD TRADE CENTERS WERE ATTACKED IN 1993, HE INTRODUCED AN AMENDMENT TO CUTOUT THE CIA, CUTOUT THE INTELLIGENCE BY OVER A BILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS. THANK GOD, NOBODY VOTED WITH HIM. A YEAR LATER HE DID THE SAME THING. HE DIDN'T TELL YOU HE SERVED ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE OF THE U.S. SENATE. WHILE HE SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE, OVER AFTER THE ATTACKS, MISSED MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF THE VOTES OF THE PUBLIC MEETINGS. HERE'S A GUY WHO WANTED TO SOUND LIKE HE WAS TOUGH ON TERROR, HERE WAS A GUY THAT WANTED TO SOUND LIKE HE BELIEVED IN A STRONG MILITARY, BUT HE WAS WEARING CAMOUFLAGE. HE TRIED TO SOUND LIKE JOHN WAYNE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK, BECAUSE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW HE'S REALLY MICHAEL MOORE. [ APPLAUSE ] BUT SENATOR KERRY DID SAY SOMETHING AT THE CONVENTION THAT HE THOUGHT WAS BEING STRONG. BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, REFLECTS HIS INHERIT WEAKNESS DEFENDING AMERICAN FREEDOM. SENATOR KERRY SAID, IF WE'RE ATTACKED AGAIN, WHEN I'M PRESIDENT, I WILL RESPOND STRONGLY. THINK ABOUT IT. HOW COULD HE SAY THAT? WHEN WE'RE ATTACKED AGAIN, I WILL RESPOND. WE HAVE BEEN ATTACKED. THE WORLD TRADE CENTER TOWERS WERE BLOWN UP THE FIRST TIME IN 1993 BY AL QAEDA ! THEY TRIED TO BRING DOWN THE TOWERS. THE ADMINISTRATION IN POWER FAILED TO RESPOND IN A WAY THAT PROTECTED OUR FREEDOM. IN THE MID-1990S, OUR EMBASSIES IN TANZANIA AND KENYA WERE BOMBED. HUNDREDS DIED BY AN AL QAEDA RELATED ORGANIZATIONS ATTACK. THE ADMINISTRATION IN POWER FAILED TO RESPOND. IN 1998, OUR BARRACKS IN SAUDI ARABIA WERE BLOWN UP. DOZENS OF AMERICANS DIED AND THE ADMINISTRATION FAILED TO RESPOND. IN THE YEAR 2000, THE USS COAL WAS BLOWN UP, AND WE LOST MANY OF OUR HEROES THAT SERVED TO DEFEND OUR FREEDOM AND THE UNITED STATES FAILED TO RESPOND. SENATOR KERRY SAID IF WE'RE ATTACKED AGAIN, I WILL RESPOND STRONGLY. SENATOR KERRY, THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. WE HAVE BEEN ATTACKED TIME AND AGAIN. WE NEED A PRESIDENT WHO UNDERSTANDS WE HAVE GOT TO ATTACK THEM BEFORE THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO REGROUP AND ATTACK US AGAIN. [ APPLAUSE ] SENATOR KERRY, HE HAS BEEN ATTACKING THE PRESIDENT ON VIRTUALLY EVERY ONE OF HIS POLICIES. IF THE PRESIDENT IS FOR SOMETHING, THE SENATOR IS AGAINST IT, IT SEEMS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER IT DURING THE COURSE OF THE DEBATE, THE SENATOR CASS CRITICIZING THE COALITION THE PRESIDENT PUT SOMETHING, INCLUDING POLAND, JAPAN, DOZEN OFFICERS AND CALLED THEM THE COALITION OF THE COERCED. HE TALKED ABOUT THEIR SACRIFICES BEING WINDOW DRESSING. JOHN EDWARDS ACTUALLY USED THOSE WORDS THAT THE SUPPORT OF OUR ALLIES IN IRAQ WAS WINDOW DRESSING. TELL THE MOTHERS OF THE ITALIAN SOLDIER WHOSE DIED IN IRAQ THEIR SON'S DEATH WAS IN DOE DRESSING. TELL THE PRIME MINISTER OF POLAND WHO CHOSE TO DIE IN IRAQ, HIS DEATH WAS WINDOW DRESSING. YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. THIS SENATOR IS UNABLE AND UNFIT TO FIGHT THE WAR ON TERROR AND SHOULD NOT BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. [ APPLAUSE ] YOU KNOW, SENATOR KERRY SAID SOMETHING ELSE THAT TROUBLES ME IMMENSELY, BECAUSE I KNOW A NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH . SENATOR KERRY CRITICIZING THE IRAQI WAR SAID, THE UNITED STATES SHOULD GO TO WAR, NOT WHEN WE WANT TO GO TO WAR, BUT WHEN WE HAVE TO GO TO WAR. WELL, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, SENATOR KERRY, THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO RUSHED INTO THOSE TOWERS AND DIED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO WAR, THEY WERE INNOCENT VICTIMS OF A WAR THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED. THE INNOCENT CIVILIAN OFFICE WORKERS IN THOSE TOWERS WHO DIED WHEN THOSE TOWERS CAME DOWN DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO WAR, THEY WERE VICTIMS OF A WAR OF TERROR WE HAD NEVER DECIDED TO FIGHT. WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO DID NOT CHOOSE THIS WAR, BUT WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO CHOOSES TO WIN THIS WAR AND THANK GOD GEORGE W. BUSH UNDERSTANDS THE NATURE OF THE OPPONENT WE ARE FACING IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. YOU KNOW, IT'S SO EASY TO CRITICIZE, IT'S SO EASY TO LOOK AT EVERY ACTION THAT IS TAKEN AND SAY, WELL, IF ONLY THIS, IF ONLY THAT. I CAN TELL ON THAT THIS PRESIDENT UNDERSTANDS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DECISIONS HE'S MADE AND THE CONSEQUENCES IF HE HAD NOT MADE THEM. THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE. WE KNOW THAT THOSE AL QAEDA OPERATIVES ARE STILL OUT THERE AROUND AND MOVING WHEN THEY WANT TO ATTACK US AGAIN. WE KNOW THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ATTACKED SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH, IN TONESIA, IN TURKEY, IN THE PHILIPPINES, IN SPAIN. WE SAW THE BARBARIC MASSACRE OF 300 RUSSIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN JUST THREE WEEKS AGO FROM AN AL QAEDA AFFILIATE. THEY DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, IF YOU BELIEVE IN FREEDOM, YOU ARE THEIR ENEMY. WHERE HAVE THEY NOT ATTACKED? IN ALMOST THREE YEARS THEY HAVE NEVER ATTACKED THE UNITED STATES AGAIN BECAUSE THIS PRESIDENT HAS GOT THOSE TERRORISTS ON THE RUN AND HE KNOWS WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM ON THE RUN. [ APPLAUSE ] WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE CONSEQUENCE OF INACTION, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCE FROM THIS ELECTION, IF WE ELECT A PRESIDENT THAT'S GOING TO SAY, WELL, WE'VE GOT THEM ON THE RUN, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH. IT'S VERY EASY TO DECLARE VICTORY AND LOOK THE OTHER WAY. WE LOOKED THE OTHER WAY TOO MANY TIMES IN THE 1990S. THINK ABOUT THE ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11TH . ALMOST 3, 000 AMERICANS DIED THAT DAY. AND THE MOST SOPHISTICATED WEAPON THAT THE TERRORISTS HAD WAS A BOX CUTTER. THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN ANYBODY'S MINDS THAT THESE TERRORISTS ARE SEEKING BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, CHEMICAL WEAPONS, RADIOLOGICAL WEAPONS, AND THEY -- IF THEY HAVE THEM, THEY WOULD USE THEM AGAIN ANYWHERE IN AMERICA, OR ANYWHERE IN THE CIVILIZED WORLD. WE CANNOT AFFORD A PRESIDENT WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST WIN THIS WAR, BECAUSE IT'S OUR SECURITY, IT'S OUR FUTURE, IT'S OUR FREEDOM, IT'S OUR CHILDREN'S ABILITY TO WORK IN THE 90TH STORY OF AN OFFICE TOWER IN NEW YORK CITY LITERALLY AT STAKE IN THIS ELECTION NEXT TUESDAY. 4 [ APPLAUSE ] SENATOR KERRY HAS SAID THIS IS THE WRONG WAR IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. RESPECTFULLY, SENATOR KERRY IS THE WRONG CANDIDATE IN THE WRONG PLACE FOR THE WRONG OFFICE AT THE WRONG TIME AND WE NEED PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH IN OFFICE FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM AND TO LEAD AMERICA ! [ APPLAUSE ] I APOLOGIZE IF I MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE INTENSE TONIGHT BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THIS, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, I WAS THERE ON SEPTEMBER 11TH . I KNEW A NUMBER OF THOSE THAT DIED ON THAT DAY. I'VE SEEN, FIRST HAND, THE CONSEQUENCES OF INACTION OR INADEQUATE ACTION. WE NOW HAVE A LEADER WHO UNDERSTANDS THIS IS A DEFINING MOMENT OF OUR LIFETIME. WE HAVE A LEADER WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT IF AMERICAN DOESN'T LEAD, IF WE DECIDE THAT WE HAVE TO MEET SOME GLOBAL TEST BEFORE WE DEFEND OUR FREEDOM, IF WE DECIDE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE FRENCH BEFORE WE CAN DEFEND OUR FREEDOM, THAT THIS COUNTRY ULTIMATELY WILL BE ATTACKED AGAIN, WITH FAR GREATER CONSEQUENCES THAN SEPTEMBER 11TH. I'M A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SUPPORTING A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT. IT'S NOT JUST OUR PARTY THAT APPRECIATES THE PERHAPS OF THIS PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP. I WANT TO READ YOU A QUOTE THAT PRIME TONY BLAIR GAVE WHEN HE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES TO TALK ABOUT HIS SUPPORT AND HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE GLOBAL COALITION FIGHTING THE WAR AGAINST TERROR. I JUST WANT TO READ IT, BECAUSE I THINK IT REALLY SUMS UP WHAT SOMEONE NOT INVOLVED IN THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SCENE BUT RESPECTED GLOBALLY BELIEVES ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID, QUOTE, I KNOW IT'S HARD ON AMERICA. IN SOME SMALL CORNER OF THIS VAST COUNTRY, IN NEVADA, OR IDAHO, THESE PLACES I'VE NEVER BEEN BUT ALWAYS WANTED TO GO, THERE'S A GUY GETTING ON WITH HIS LIFE, PERFECTLY HAPPY, MINDING HIS OWN BUSINESS, SAYING TO YOU, THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF THIS NATION, WHY ME? WHY US? WHY AMERICA? THE ONLY ANSWER, BLAIR SAID, IS BECAUSE DESTINY PUT YOU IN THIS PLACE IN HISTORY, IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME, AND THE TASK IS YOURS TO DO. THE TASK IS OURS TO DO. TIME AND AGAIN, WHEN FREEDOM HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN AMERICA, DURING THE CIVIL WAR WITH ABRAHAM LINCOLN, IN WORLD WAR II IN THE EVIL OF HITLER AND MUSSOLINI THREATENED THE FREE WORLD AND CIVILIZATION, IN THE COLD WAR WITH WHEN THE BARBARIC EVIL EMPIRE THREATENED US WITH EVIL ANNIHILATION, WE HAD LEADERS RISE THEE CHALLENGE AND ABRAHAM LINCOLN, ROOSEVELT, RONALD REAGAN, THANK GOODNESS IN THIS PLACE IN TIME AND TIME OF HISTORY WE HAVE ANOTHER LEADER WHO HAS RISEN TO THAT CHALLENGE AND WILL LEAD US TO A STRONGER ECONOMY, TO A GREATER FUTURE AND WORLD FREE OF TERROR. THAT LEADER IS GEORGE W. BUSH. VOTE TUESDAY. MAKE SURE YOUR FRIENDS DO. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF OUR LIFETIME. WE NEED THE PRESIDENT, WE NEED HIS STRENGTH IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU THIS EVENING. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH ! THANK YOU [~APPLAUSE~] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW, SOME OF YOU WANT TO SEE THE NEXT GAME OF THE WORLD SERIES, I UNDERSTAND, I DON'T MIND AT ALL. IF SOME OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I DON'T MIND ANSWERING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THE MICROPHONE IS -- DAVID, WHERE IS THE MICROPHONE? >> RIGHT THERE. >> OKAY. OVER THERE. ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, GO AHEAD. >> GOVERNOR PATAKI, HOW YOU DOING? WELCOME TO GAINESVILLE. >> THANK YOU. >> I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN MANHATTAN WHEN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WAS BUILT. WENT TO COLUMBIA LATER. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO, IF YOU COULD, UNDERSTAND YOUR EMOTION AND YOUR FEELINGS, BUT AS WE'RE PURSUING THIS WAR ON TERROR, ONE THING THAT BOTHERS ME ABOUT IT IS WE HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED OUT THE MOTIVE. YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD AL QAEDA GO AFTER THE SYMBOLS OF OUR ECONOMY AND THE PENTAGON AND WHY WOULD 15 SAUDIS DO WHAT THEY DID AND FOUR EGYPTIANS? AND WHY HAVE WE GONE AFTER IRAQ RATHER THAN SAUDI ARABIA, SINCE THE SAUDIS ARE THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS FOR AL QAEDA? COULD YOU HELP EXPLAIN THE ADMINISTRATION'S RATIONALE BEHIND ALL THIS >> YEAH. LET ME TRY. THAT'S A VERY BROAD QUESTION, AND I THINK, A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. FIRST, MOTIVATION. WE HAVE SEEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THOSE WHO, FOR THEIR OWN REASON, BELIEVE THAT AND AUTOCRATIC SYSTEM, WHETHER IT WAS NAZI, GERMANY, OR THE SOVIET UNION OR THEOCRATIC AUTOCRACY, LIKE AL QAEDA, BELIEVE THAT NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT PATH FOR THEMSELVES BUT THAT IT'S THE ONLY PATH FOR EVERYONE IN THE WORLD. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THEIR IDEOLOGY, WE GOT TO SEE IT IN AFGHANISTAN BECAUSE THE TALIBAN ALLOWED THE AL QAEDA INTO THEIR COUNTRY AND HELPED TRAIN THEM AND ESSENTIALLY HAD THE SAME PHILOSOPHY AND THEORY AS AL QAEDA. WE KNOW WHAT THEIR PHILOSOPHY I IS. THERE IS NO FREEDOM. NO ABILITY. FORGET ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS TO VOTE, NO ABILITY EVEN FOR WOMEN TO ATTEND SCHOOL. THERE IS NO ABILITY TO DISCUSS OR CRITICIZE LEADERS. THEY SELECT A LEADER, AND THAT LEADER IS ALL-POWERFUL AND ALL KNOWLEDGEABLE, MUCH LIKE THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ALL-POWERFUL AND KNOWLEDGEABLE. WE REPRESENT THE EXACT OPPOSITE. THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WERE FOUNDED ON, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, SOMETHING UNKNOWN TO THEM, FREEDOM TO SELECT OUR 0 OWN LEADERS, FREEDOM TO PETITION OTHER GOVERNANCE WITH GRIEVANCE, FREEDOM TO GATHER TOGETHER. FREEDOM OF RELIGION. THEY DETEST THAT FREEDOM BECAUSE THEY WANT TO IMPOSE THEIR RELIGION. WE HAVE SAME QUESTION. ARE WE GOING TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY HATE US AND HATE FREEDOM AND HATE THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO WORSHIP AS THEY SEE FIT OR ARE WE GOING TO SAY THAT WE CANNOT ALLOW THEM TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY TRY TO IMPOSE THAT IDEOLOGY, THAT LIFESTYLE ON ALL OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES. TO ME, THE ANSWER IS VERY SIMPLE, AS I SAID. WE WERE ATTACKED NOT BECAUSE OF ANY POLICY AMERICA HAS THAT WE DID WRONG, BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DO RIGHT, BECAUSE OF OUR BELIEF IN FREEDOM. IF WE DON'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP FOR THAT FREEDOM, THEN IT WILL BE IN JEOPARDY. [ APPLAUSE ] >> WHY IRAQ? WHY IRAQ? WHY IRAQ AND NOT SAUDI ARABIA? LET ME SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF THIS WAR. TO ME, IT IS VERY CLEAR. FIRST, WE HAVE TO GO AFTER AL QAEDA. OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE LEADERSHIP, WHEREVER THEY ARE. WE KNOW MOST, IF NOT ALL WERE IN AFGHANISTAN, THAT THE TALIBAN WEREN'T JUST HARBORING, EQUIPPING, TRAINING AND PROVIDING ALL SORTS OF SUPPORT TO AL QAEDA AND TERRORIST GROUPS. IT WASN'T JUST AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN, AT THE VERY LEAST WAS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY AND MAY HAVE BEEN DOING MORE. SAUDI ARABIA, YOU ARE CORRECT, THEY ALLOWED FUNDING FOR TERRORIST OPERATIONS AND LOOKED THE OTHER WAY SO LONG AS SAUDI ARABIA WAS LEFT OUT OF THE EQUATION, LEFT BEHIND. LIBYA WAS WORKING TO DEVELOP WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. IN SAUDI ARABIA WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST AUTO DRAT TICK REGIMES THIS WORLD HAS -- AUTOCRATIC REGIMES THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN DESPITE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD FROM "FAHRENHEIT 9/11". SOMEONE WHO KILLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ITS OWN CITIZENS HAS NO RESPECT FOR FREEDOM AND RULE OF LAW. WHAT THIS PRESIDENT DID I THINK WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. HE FIRST WENT INTO AFGHANISTAN. A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE DOUBTING THAT HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WESTERN COUNTRIES AND SOVIET UNION GONE INTO AFGHANISTAN AND SAYING, IT'S WAR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLOBE. WE CANNOT WIN IT. USE ECONOMIC SANCTION. THIS PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP BROUGHT DOWN THE TALIBAN AND THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE THEY ARE GONE. HE DROVE AL QAEDA -- HE DROVE AL QAEDA AND THE CAPITAL CITIES TO CAVES AND TUNNELS, THREE QUARTERS HAVE BEEN KILLED OR BROUGHT TO JUSTICE. HE FORCED THEM OVER THE BORDER. WHEN HE SHOWED THAT STRENGTH AND THAT RESOLVE, ALL OF A SUNDAY PAKISTAN SAID, MAYBE WE HAVE A PARTNER IN OUR PURSUIT OF OUR DEMOCRACY WE CAN COUNT ON. ALL OF A SUDDEN PAKISTAN IS AGGRESSIVELY GOING AFTER AL QAEDA OPERATIVES AND FUNDAMENTALIST TERRORISTS AT GREAT JEOPARDY TO THEIR LIVES AND THEIR REGIME. THEY ARE STANDING WITH US BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND, THIS IS THEIR CHANCE TO SUPPORT US. YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN LIBYA. INSTEAD OF TRYING TO DEVELOP WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, THEY SWITCHED SIDES. SO WE'RE GOING TO NOT ONLY STOP BUT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION OF THAT GLOBAL TERRORIST NETWORK SUPPLYING US WITH THAT SAUDI ARABIA, THE SAME THING, INSTEAD OF LOOKING THE OTHER WAY, SAUDI ARABIA SAID WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM IN OUR COUNTRY, WE'RE GOING TO GO AFTER THEM. I BELIEVE AT THAT THE TOP 15 AL QAEDA OPERATIVES IN SAUDI ARABIA, EVERY ONE OF THEM, IS CAPTURED OR DEAD. IN IRAQ, YOU HAD A REGIME THAT DEFINITELY FIT PRESIDENT BUSH'S COURAGEOUS ENUNCIATION WHAT HE CALLS, I AGREE THE BUSH DOCTRINE. WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO GO AFTER TERRORISTS, GOVERNMENTS THAT ENGAGE IN TERRORISM, WE'RE GOING TO GO AFTER GOVERNMENTS THAT ENGAGE OR HARBOR AND SUPPORT TERRORISM. THERE'S NO DOUBT SADDAM HUSSEIN'S IRAQ DID THAT [ APPLAUSE ] I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT SADDAM HUSSEIN DID. YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN, IT MIGHT BE BIGGER NEWS IN NEW YORK THAN FLORIDA, TIME AND AGAIN, THE ONLY DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ISRAEL, HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO HORRENDOUS TERRORIST ATTACKS. SO-CALLED SUICIDE BOMBERS THAT ARE REALLY JUST MURDERERS, BLOWING UP CHILDREN AND SCHOOL BUSES AND FAMILIES HAVING RELIGIOUS DINNERS TOGETHER. SADDAM HUSSEIN OPENLY OFFERED A REWARD, A BOUNTY, WROTE A CHECK TO THE FAMILIES OF ANYONE WHO HAD SOMEONE DIED IN A TERRORIST ATTACK IN ISRAEL. IF THAT'S NOT STATE SPONSORED-SPONSORSHIP OF TERRORISM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. SADDAM HUSSEIN SUPPORTED TERRORISM. THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE HE IS GONE. I KNOW THIS IS A LONG ANSWER. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. I WANT TO GIVE YOU WHAT I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE ANSWER. WE HAVE TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST TERROR. YES, WE HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE AGAINST THE OPERATIVES AND TERRORISTS OUT THERE NOW, BRING THEM TO JUSTICE AND PREVENT THEM FROM ATTACKING AGAIN. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TAKE AWAY THE ROOT CAUSES THAT GENERATE THE HATE TRESS OF THE WEST AND THE BELIEVE -- HATRED OF THE WEST HATRED OF THE WEST AND FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF OF FUNDAMENTALISTS. TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM HOPE, OPPORTUNITY, CHANCE TO EXERCISE THEIR OWN FREEDOM, CHANCE TIME PROVE THEIR OWN LIVES, CHANCE TO EDUCATE THEIR OWN CHILDREN. IF IN IRAQ, WE CAN SUCCESSFULLY CREATE A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND REPLACE FEAR AND REPRESSION WITH HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE BREEDING GROUNDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE, WHO HAVE NO HOPE IN THEIR LIVES AND SUBJECT TO THE PROPAGANDA NOT BECAUSE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN, NOT BECAUSE OF THE TALIBAN, BECAUSE OF THE WEST, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE TAKE AWAY THE FUTURE RECRUITS, FUTURE SUPPORTERS OF TERROR AND REPLACE IT WITH SUPPORTERS OF FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW. WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO THAT IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN THE MOST UNSTABLE PART OF THE WORLD. WE WILL DO IT NOT JUST TO WIN A WAR, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SPREAD FREEDOM AROUND THE GLOBE AND THAT HAS TO BE OUR GOAL AND WHAT WE MUST TRY TO DO. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LONG-WINDED ANSWER BUT IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. >> GOVERNOR PATAKI. >> I DON'T SEE THE MICROPHONE. THANK YOU. >> SOME OF US IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT BELIEVE A PRESIDENT HAS SUPPORTED STATE TERRORISM AROUND THE WORLD IN SOME COUNTRIES INFORMS THAT TAKE MANY DIFFERENT SHAPES. SAUDI ARABIA IS ONE OF THE CASES THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, 14 OUT OF THE 19 HIJACKERS WERE FROM SAUDI ARABIA, HOWEVER, MY QUESTION IS, WHY HAVE OIL PRICE NOT DROPPED AND AS WELL IN SAUDI ARABIA, WHY HAS THE PRESIDENT NOT SPOKEN MUCH TO THIS ISSUE WHEN 14 OUT OF THE 19 HIJACKERS WERE FROM SAUDI ARABIA, CLEARLY A GOVERNMENT WE SUPPORT SUPPORTS STATE TERRORISM AND TERRORIST ACTIONS AND KILLING. >> I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE. THE GOVERNMENT OF SAUDI ARABIA DOESN'T SUPPORT STATE TERRORISM AND DOESN'T ENGAGE IN STATE TERRORISM. I BELIEVE SAUDI ARABIA, THE REGIME IN SAUDI ARABIA COULD BE CRITICIZED, COULD HAVE BEEN CRITICIZED BECAUSE THEY DID LOOK THE OTHER WAY. SOME OF THE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST SCHOOLS WERE SPRING UP AND PROVIDING FUNDING THAT THROUGH THE BACK DOOR DID SUPPORT TERRORISM. WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THIS PRESIDENT PROVIDED THAT LEADERSHIP, YOU HAVE SEEN A COMPLETE CHANGE IN THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT. YOU'VE SEEN THE FACT THAT NOW, THEY ARE GOING ACTIVELY AFTER AL QAEDA OPERATIVES ALL ACROSS SAUDI ARABIA. THEY'RE TAKING AWAY THE FUNDING SOURCES FOR THESE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST SCHOOLS THAT TEACH HATRED. I WANT TO TELL YOU ONE THING ABOUT SAUDI ARABIA. PEOPLE SAY, HOW ARE SADDAM HUSSEIN AND IRAQ RELATED TO THE WAR ON TERROR? BACK IN 1993, I BELIEVE IT WAS, OSAMA BIN LADEN ISSUED A DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST THE U.S. AND THE WEST. ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS HE SAID, WAS THE PRESENCE OF AMERICAN TROOPS IN THE HOLY LAND, MEANING THE MIDDLE EAST, AND SAUDI ARABIA. WHY DO WE HAVE TROOPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST? ONE REASON. BECAUSE SADDAM HUSSEIN INVADED KUWAIT AND THREATENED TO DO IT AGAIN. WE HAD TO DO THAT TO PROTECT THE PRO-WESTERN GOVERNMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. AND WHAT THIS PRESIDENT HAS DONE, REMOVED OUR TROOPS FROM SAUDI ARABIA. SINCE SADDAM HUSSEIN IS GONE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE ANYMORE. THE SAUDI ARABIANS CAN BE MORE RESPECTFUL OF THE ISLAMIC TRADITION OF THEIR COUNTRY. AT THE SAME TIME, GO AFTER TERRORISM. THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING. IT WASN'T JUST SAUDI ARABIA, IT'S EGYPT, YEMIN, OTHER COUNTRIES. IN THE PAST DIDN'T HAVE THAT SAME AGGRESSIVE APPROACH. WHY DO THEY NOW? WHY ARE THEY HELPING US NOW? BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN THIS PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP, THEY BELIEVE HE HAS THE COMMITMENT TO STAY THIS COURSE IN THE WAR AGAINST TERROR. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE RUG PULLED UP OUT FROM UNDER THEM IF THEY ENGAGE IN TERROR AND GO AFTER THEM AROUND THE GLOBE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS >> GOVERNOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE FAN OF YOURS EVER SINCE THE COMO PATAKI RACE IN '94. >> I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU HOW YOU DEALT PERSONALLY, HOW YOU HANDLED THE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH PERSONALLY? HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT DAY? WHAT STRENGTHS HAVE YOU COME AWAY WITH FROM THAT DAY? >> WELL, IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT DAY. I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT. AS I SAID, I WAS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, I WAS JUST GOING ABOUT MY BUSINESS. MY DAUGHTER CALLED UP, SAID, DAD, DID YOU SEE A PLANE HIT ONE OF THE TOWERS? IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL FALL DAY. I WAS THINKING, HOW COULD SOME INCOMPETENT PILOT RUN INTO THE TOWERS ON SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY? IT NEVER CROSSED MY MIND THERE WOULD BE A TERRORIST ATTACK. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS DID, I CALLED MAY OR GUILLIANI. I WAS IN THE CITY AND I SAID, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR RELIEF EFFORT, RESCUE EFFORT TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THE TOWERS, I'M HERE. WE HAVE ALL OUR STATE RESOURCES, IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN DO, LET ME KNOW. HE SAID, GOOD, WE'LL STAY IN TOUCH. THEN THE SECOND PLANE HIT, THE MINUTE THE SECOND PLANE HIT, I KNEW AND MOST OF US KNEW WE WERE UNDER ATTACK. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ATTACKS MIGHT COME AFTER THAT. WE HEARD ABOUT THE PENTAGON, WE HEARD ABOUT PENNSYLVANIA. I CALLED THE PRESIDENT RIGHT AWAY. THE PRESIDENT ALREADY KNEW, HE WAS STILL AWARE, HE WAS STILL IN FLORIDA AND JUST BEEN PULLED OUT OF THE EDUCATION CONFERENCE AND ALREADY CLOSED THE AIRSPACE. AFTER I TOLD HIM THE PRESIDENT HAD SHUT DOWN THE AIRSPACE AND PROVIDING AIR COVER TO AREAS LIKE NEW YORK. NO ONE KNEW WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT. I CALLED BACK THE MAYOR. THE TOWERS CAME DOWN. I COULDN'T GET AHOLD OF THE MAYOR. HE WAS TRAPPED IN A BUILDING NEAR GROUND ZERO FOR THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE HOURS, NO ONE KNEW WHERE HE WAS. WE WORKED TOGETHER TO TRY TO ORGANIZE AND SAVE LIVES AND GET PEOPLE OUT. WE ACTIVATED THE NATIONAL GUARD RIGHT AWAY AND BROUGHT THEM IN. LATER THAT AFTERNOON, THE MAYOR CALLED ME, HE WAS OKAY, AGAIN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE. THE FIRST THING WE DID IS WE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO SET UP A JOINT COMMAND CENTER. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE A STATE CENTER AND HE'S GOING TO HAVE A CITY CENTER. WE WILL HAVE ONE JOINT COMMAND. HE GOT MY STAFF TOGETHER, I GOT MY STAFF TOGETHER AND WE MET. IT WAS SO HARD, THOSE HOURS AND DAYS, BECAUSE WE STILL HOPED HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COULD BE RESCUED FROM THE RUBBLE OF THE TOWERS. WE ALL KNEW PEOPLE AND WERE CLOSE FRIENDS AND THE TOWERS WERE RUN BY THE PORT AUTHORITY, THE STATE AGENCY AND ALL THE OFFICIALS IN THAT AUTHORITY WERE APPOINTED BY ME AND THE TOP LEADERSHIP OF THE PORT DIED ON THAT DAY WHEN THE TOWERS CAME DOWN. I CAN TELL YOU WHAT GAVE US STRENGTH. I WENT DOWN, AS SOON AS THE TOWERS CAME DOWN, I WAS IN THE CITY. I WENT DOWN TOWARDS GROUND ZERO. I DIDN'T WANT TO GO RIGHT THERE AND GET IN THE WAY AND BE OUT OF COMMUNICATIONS. WE TRIED TO SEE WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT. I WENT TO ONE OF THE HOSPITALS IN LOWER MANHATTAN. YOU SAW ALL THE NURSES AND DOCTORS LINED UP ON THE SIDEWALKS WITH GURNEYS. EMPTY GURNEYS, WAITING FOR THE INJURED TO COME AND THEY NEVER CAME BECAUSE THE TOWERS WEREN'T THERE. BUT I WENT INTO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY HAD BROUGHT IN A COUPLE OF FIREFIGHTERS WHO HAD BEEN INJURED. THEY WERE LYING THERE ON THE STRETCHERS IN THE HOSPITALS. EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS SAYING, I HOPE THEY CAN FIX ME UP SO I CAN GO BACK DOWN THERE. I WALKED AROUND LOWER MANHATTAN TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GAVE ME ENORMOUS STRENGTH AND STILL DOES TODAY, I SAW THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LINED UP ON THE STREET. THEY WEREN'T LINED UP ON THE STREET TO GET OUT OF TOWN. THEY WEREN'T TRYING TO FLEE MANHATTAN AFRAID OF WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, THEY WERE LINED UP IN FRONT OF A HOSPITAL IN LOWER MANHATTAN TO GIVE BLOOD. NEW YORKERS STOOD TOGETHER. ORDINARY NEW YORKERS CAME TOGETHER IN A WAY I'VE NEVER SEEN IN MY LIFETIME. I CAN TELL YOU STORY AFTER STORY OF THE STRENGTH OF ORDINARY NEW YORKERS. I WILL JUST TELL YOU ONE. THERE WAS AN IRONWORKER NAMED GENE FLOOD. HE WAS WORKING ON ONE OF THE BRIDGES BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND LONG ISLAND WITH HIS IRON GRID. HE SAW THE TOWERS GET HIT AND COME DOWN. HE SAID, OH, MY GOD, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED HELP. HE DIDN'T LOOK TO GET AWAY. HE COMMANDEERED THIS WIG, WELDING RIG, TOOK IT TO GROUND ZERO AND THEY WENT TO WORK CUTOUT GOING THROUGH THE TWISTED STEEL. THAT MAN, GENE FLOOD, WORKED EVERY SINGLE DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AT GROUND ZERO FROM SEPTEMBER 11TH UNTIL THE DAY I GAVE THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS ON JANUARY 8TH , THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THAT'S HOW WE GOT THROUGH, HAD THE STRENGTH, BECAUSE ORDINARY NEW YORKERS SHOWED INCREDIBLE COURAGE IN THE FACE OF UNSPEAKABLE TERROR NOT KNOWING WHAT THE NEXT HOUR, THE NEXT DAY, THE NEXT PLANE MIGHT BRING. SO WHEN YOU WORK TOGETHER, WHEN YOU DRAW STRENGTH FROM THE PEOPLE, EVEN UNDER THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES, THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT YOU CAN OVERCOME AND YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD. AS I SAID, AT THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO NEVER FORGET AND NEVER CEASE TELLING THE STORY OF SEPTEMBER 11TH AT GROUND ZERO. BUT WE'RE GOING TO REBUILD IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T JUST RECREATE BUT GOES BEYOND WHAT WAS THERE ON SEPTEMBER 11TH SO THE WHOLE WORLD UNDERSTANDS WE ARE UNBOWED, UNAFRAID, HAVE MORE FREEDOM AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR FUTURE THAN EVER BEFORE. [ APPLAUSE ] 4 >> GOVERNOR PATAKI. HERE. HI. I WAS THERE THAT DAY, TOO. I WENT TO A SCHOOL WHICH IS ACROSS THE STREET. THEN I OBVIOUSLY HAD MY OWN STORIES ABOUT THAT DAY. IT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT STILL TOUCHES ALL NEW YORKERS VERY EMOTIONALLY, BUT MY QUESTION IS, I'D LIKE YOUR RESPONSE ON THIS ADMINISTRATION'S ALLOCATION OF THE SECURITY FUNDS. WHY IS IT THAT NEW YORK CITY IS GETTING THE SAME AMOUNT AS A TINY TOWN IN ALASKA, WHO CAN'T FIND THE RESOURCES TO SUE SPEND THIS MONEY AND WHY WE'RE STILL LIVING IN TERROR IN NEW YORK. >> FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T THINK WE'RE LIVING IN TERROR IN NEW YORK. LET ME SAY, I APPRECIATE THE EMOTION IN YOUR VOICE. I UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR IT. ONE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY STORIES OF SEPTEMBER 11TH IS WE HAD THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS IN SCHOOL. SOME FROM KINDERGARTEN UP TO SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THEY HAD NO PLACE TO GO. THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS SHOWED ENORMOUS COURAGE MAKING SURE EVERY ONE OF THOSE CHILDREN WERE TAKEN CARE OF. IT'S A TRIBUTE AGAIN TO THE STRENGTH AND SPIRIT OF ORDINARY PEOPLE, AS I CALL THEM, WHO RESPONDED ON THAT DAY. ON HOMELAND SECURITY, THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS PRESIDENT HAS DONE. WE DIDN'T HAVE AN OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY SECURITY. WE DIDN'T HAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PROVIDE FIRST RESPONDERS WITH TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE BORDER SECURITY THAT SCREENING OF PEOPLE BEFORE THEY COME IN THROUGH OUR PORTS. WE DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE RIDING ON THE AIRPLANES. BEFORE SEPTEMBER 11TH . WHAT THIS PRESIDENT AND LEADERSHIP HAVE DONE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IS NOTHING SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY. AS I SAID EARLIER, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHERE ELSE DO THESE TERRORISTS WANT TO ATTACK MORE THAN AMERICA? THEY TRIED TO DISRUPT THE SPANISH ELECTIONS, THEY TRIED TO DISRUPT OTHER ELECTIONS. IN THEE YEARS, THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE ATTACK IN AMERICA, BECAUSE THIS PRESIDENT'S PRO-ACTIVE POLICIES HAVE WORKED. HAVING SAID THAT, I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE ALLOCATION OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDS. THE REASON IS NOT BECAUSE OF THIS PRESIDENT AND HIS ADMINISTRATION. HE UNDERSTANDS THE NEED TO ALLOCATE SECURITY FUNDS ON A THREAT BASED BASIS. AND IN FACT, TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BY CONGRESS TO DO THAT, NEW YORK CITY AND NEW YORK STATE AND OTHER STATES THAT ARE SYMBOLIC TARGETS HAVE GOT AN FAR GREATER ALLOCATION THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. BUT IN THE BILL THAT PASSED CONGRESS, THEY HAVE REQUIRED THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE BE ALLOCATED TO EVERY SINGLE STATE. SO THAT'S THE REASON. IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THIS PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY RIDGE AND THEIR LACK OF UNDERSTANDING. THEY KNOW AND ARE FIGHTING FOR THREAT BASED ALLOCATION OF FUNDS. IT IS BECAUSE THAT IS THE LAW THAT WAS PASSED THROUGH CONGRESS. >> GOOD EVENING. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU. >> FIRST, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I'M FRENCH, SO PLEASE EXCUSE MY ENGLISH. I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT WHEN I SAW THE AIRPLANES HITTING THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, MY FIRST FEELING WAS, WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. BECAUSE WHEN FRANCE SAW THE UNITED STATES BEING ATTACKED, WE ALL FELT THAT WE WERE UNDER ATTACK, AND WE HAD THREE MINUTES SILENCE EVERYWHERE. SO, LET ME YOU SOMETHING, BECAUSE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT POLISH MOTHERS AND JAPANESE MOTHERS, AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT FRENCH MOTHERS AND THE FRENCH SOLDIERS WHO WENT TO AFGHANISTAN WITH YOU, WHO ARE STILL IN AFGHANISTAN WITH YOU AND WHO HAVE BEEN IN AFGHANISTAN AND EVERYWHERE ELSE WITH YOU, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AS A FRIEND WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO THINK THAT WHAT YOU DID, THE WRONG WAR AT THE WRONG PLACE AND AT THE WRONG TIME. >> LET ME JUST ASK THEN WHY DID FRANCE VOTE FOR THE U.N. SECURITY RESOLUTION THAT AUTHORIZED THE UNITED STATES TO GO TO WAR AGAINST SADDAM HUSSEIN? [ APPLAUSE ] 0 I CAN UNDERSTAND. FIRST, LET ME SAY, I THINK ALL AMERICANS APPRECIATE WHAT FRANCE AND GERMANY AND OTHER NATO COUNTRIES ARE DOING IN AFGHANISTAN TO HELP OUT. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A BROADER UNDERSTANDING BY THESE COUNTRIES OF THE WAR ON TERROR. BUT WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY, WHEN THE UNITED NATIONS VOTED 15-0 ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE WAR, THE USE OF FORCE TO OVERTURN SADDAM HUSSEIN WHEN THE UNITED STATES DECIDED ALONG WITH BRITAIN AND I BELIEVE, 29 OTHER COUNTRIES IT WAS IMPERATIVE TO TAKE THAT ACTION, THOSE WHO VOTED FOR THAT RESOLUTION THEN CRITICIZED THE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THAT RESOLUTION. I UNDERSTAND NOT SENDING TROOPS BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MINE AN EFFORT TO CREATE FREEDOM IN A PART OF THE WORLD THAT HAS BEEN DENIED FREEDOM TOO LONG. [ APPLAUSE ] WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE FRENCH ON SO MANY DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, BUT PERHAPS IF WE HADN'T HAD THE U.N. FOOD FOR OIL PROGRAM, WE WOULD HAVE HAD SOME MORE SUPPORT. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOVERNOR PATAKI. IT MAY BE A LITTLE PREMATURE, I WAS WONDERING AFTER BUSH FINISHES HIS NEXT TERM, IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER TAKING A RUN FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT? [~APPLAUSE~] >> THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY KIND OF YOU, BUT WE HAVE FOUR MORE DAYS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE FOUR MORE YEARS AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON FLORIDA AND THE OTHER STATES TO MAKE SURE THIS PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP CONTINUES. THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME FOR 2008 A COUPLE OF YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOVERNOR PATAKI, YOU MENTIONED SUICIDE -- YOU MENTIONED SUICIDE BOMBERS IN ISRAEL. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RACHEL CURRY, THE U.S. CITIZEN BULL DOZED WHY PROTESTING U.S. MILITARY POLICY, PURPOSELY BULL DOZED WHILE PROTESTING ISRAEL MILITARY POLICY IN THE GAZA STRIP. >> I CAN'T BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE INCIDENT. I DO KNOW THAT IS THERE ONE COUNTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT IS A DEMOCRACY. THAT ELECTS ITS LEADERS THAT HAS FREEDOM OF SPEECH, THAT HAS FREEDOM OF RELIGION, THAT IS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE RULE OF LAW, AND I -- OFF THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM WITH -- WALKED THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM WITH MAYOR GUILLIANI AND BLOOMBERG SHORTLY AFTER ONE OF THE BARBARIC ATTACKS IN DOWNTOWN JERUSALEM. THE UNITED STATES THAT'S RIGHT TO DEFEND OURSELVES FROM TERROR, SO, TOO, ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF FROM TERROR AS A DEMOCRACY. [ APPLAUSE ] EVERY ONE OF THOSE BELIEVES IF YASSER ARAFAT HAD THE WILL, HE -- IF YASSER ARAFAT HAS THE WILL, LEE COULD BRING PEACE TO THE PALESTINIANS. I DON'T THINK HE DOES. PRESIDENT CLINTON WENT THE EXTRA MILE TO TRY TO BRING PEACE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND YASSER ARAFAT. HE FOUND OUT WHAT THE ISRAELIS KNEW, YOU CAN'T DEAL WITH A TERRORIST. YASSER ARAFAT IS A TERRORIST. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STAND BY ISRAEL BUT THAT WE ALSO HELP THE MINUTE PEOPLE TO CREATE A -- HELP THE MINE PEOPLE TO -- TO HELP THE MINUTE PEOPLE TO CREATE A FREE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE TO CREATE A FREE STATE JUST AS WE HAVE TO DO IN IRAQ. [ APPLAUSE ] >> HELLO, GOVERNOR. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, FIRST, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A REPUBLICAN IN NEW YORK? SECOND, IS NEW YORK GOING TO BE A RED ST. THE NEXT ELECTION >> I TELL YOU, THERE ARE TIMES YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT LONELY IT'S A GREAT STATE AND I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD. I WAS TALKING TO SOME OF THE STUDENTS EARLIER BEFORE WE GOT HERE. THERE'S ONE HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY WHERE THE PARENTS COME FROM OVER 100 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THERE ARE HIGH SCHOOLS WHERE MORE THAN 100 LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN -- MORE THAN 80 LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN. IT IS THE MOST DIVERSE CRAZY PLACE IN AMERICA. I HAPPEN TO THINK IT'S THE GREATEST CITY AND THE GREATEST STATE IN THE WORLD. SOMEHOW IT WORKS. I BELIEVE ONE THE REASONS BECAUSE REPUBLICAN POLICY MAKES IT SAFER, STRONGER, OPPORTUNITY DRIVEN. I WILL GET IN A PLUG FOR NEW YORK IF I MIGHT. YOU KNOW, FOUR YEARS AGO WE HAD AN ELECTION. PRESIDENT CLINTON. MRS. CLINTON WENT UP, RUNNING FOR OFFICE. THEY COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE IN AMERICA. THEY COULD HAVE GONE BACK TO ARKANSAS, COULD HAVE GONE TO ILLINOIS WHERE SENATOR CLINTON HAD GROWN UP. THEY COULD HAVE GONE TO HOLLYWOOD TO HANG WITH THE SUPPORTERS THEY HAD. NO, THEY TOOK A LOOK AROUND AMERICA AND SAID, WHERE ARE THE TAXES GETTING LOWER, WHERE IS THE CRIME GOING DOWN, WHERE IS THE AIR GETTING CLEANER? WHERE IS THE STATE GOING STRONGER? SENATOR CLINTON AND PRESIDENT CLINTON VOTED WITH THEIR FEET IN SUPPORT OF REPUBLICAN POLICIES THAT MAKE NEW YORK A STRONGER STATE. SO I ACCEPT THE ENDORSEMENT. [ APPLAUSE ] IT IS A LITTLE LONELY AT TIMES. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO COME TO OR SEE THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION WE HAD LOST MONTH IN NEW YORK. IT WAS A GREAT CONVENTION. I HAD A BALL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK HAD REPUBLICANS ON IT. IT WAS SUCH A CHANGE. I REMEMBER ONE WEDNESDAY MORNING, I SPOKE AT A BREAKFAST, I THINK IT WAS THE MICHIGAN CAUCUS, I GAVE A SPEECH DURING THE COURSE OF THE CONVENTION THEN WENT OUT ON THE STREET AND THERE WERE PROTESTERS THERE. THEY WERE BOOING THINGS. THESE WEREN'T THE CONVENTION PROTESTERS, MY USUAL PROTESTERS. ALL OVER NEW YORK CITY WITH SIGNS, PATAKI IT HAS YOUNG PEOPLE, PATAKI IT HAS OLD PEOPLE, SOUTHERN PEOPLE. THE USUAL SUSPECTS WITH THEIR SIGNS. I COME OUT THE DOOR AND THEY GO, BOO, BOO, HERE'S PATAKI. ALL OF A SUNDAY THE STREETS OF NEW YORK ERUPT WITH APPLAUSE AND CHEERS, GO, PATAKI, YOU'RE A GREAT GOVERNOR. ISN'T THIS FANTASTIC TO ACTUALLY HAVE REPUBLICANS ON THE SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK CITY. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THE CONVENTION TO NEW YORK CITY. I'D LOVE TO TAKE SOME MORE QUESTIONS BUT WE DO HAVE TO GO DOWN TO MIAMI TONIGHT AND TOMORROW, FLORIDA, IOWA AND WASHINGTON AND THEN PENNSYLVANIA, AND THEN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOME OTHER STATES. THERE ARE JUST A HANDFUL OF DAYS TO GO. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING SO RESPECTFUL AND SIT GOING THROUGH THIS. I WANT TO THANK THE TOUGH QUESTIONERS, LIKE THE MAN FROM FRANCE AND THE ONE WHO OBVIOUSLY IS NOT A SUPPORTER OF PRESIDENT BUSH BECAUSE WE DO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HAVING AN INTELLIGENT DIALOGUE IS A POSITIVE THING. MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU BECAUSE YOU KNOW THIS TUESDAY, EVERY VOTE COUNTS. % THIS PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP COUNTS. WITH YOUR HELP, TUESDAY NIGHT WE WILL BE CELEBRATING A STRONG AMERICA WITH PRESIDENT BUSH FOUR MORE YEARS. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]